Articles Tagged: Economic development

Land in Johnson County seen as ripe for development

Growing the workforce and transforming an office-heavy downtown post-pandemic with small businesses and new amenities will be key to Cedar Rapids’ success, said several candidates vying for seats on the Cedar Rapids City Council in Nov. 7 elections.

The city of Iowa City has tapped Rachel Kilburg Varley to serve as the next economic development coordinator, filling the vacancy created by Wendy Ford’s retirement from the role in August.

It’s “encouraging” Iowa lawmakers cut Iowans’ property taxes, Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said on Iowa Press Friday, but the resulting revenue reduction to the city could mean the city scales back spending.

Also, Brown NationaLease facility, which has a location in North Liberty, coming to Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids area development professionals said employers have to explore new strategies to keep construction moving. That includes new incentives to attract and retain workers, as well as being more open to finding legal pathways for immigrants to work.

A massive new mixed-use development called Rookwood Estates will add about 1,000 housing units to Marion over several phases in the coming years. It’s being planned by by Chad Pelley of Twenty40 Building Concepts.

Marion City Council advanced a one-year pause on new development along Tower Terrace Road, Highway 13 and Uptown Marion, allowing time for the city’s comprehensive plan update.

The 2023 Iowa Ideas conferences offers seven economic development sessions over two days, covering topics that include housing rehab, collaborative economic development and fueling new projects.

Debi Durham speaks about the state and pace of development in Iowa.

Crews have begun moving dirt to build a massive new $140.6 million manufacturing facility for Wisconsin-based high-end appliance company Sub-Zero -- marking a milestone for a project that will create 200 jobs and bring a new company to Iowa.

40 percent of bread made in North America uses its yeast

Local developers were awarded city financial incentives this week to build a $4 million Brown NationaLease facility in southwest Cedar Rapids that will create 10 jobs. The company leases a space in North Liberty.

Communities in the Cedar Rapids metro are partnering in a new initiative to attract people from out of state to live and work in the region, setting aside past feuds over jobs in an effort to address the worker shortage.

The city is scaling back its membership with the C.R. Metro Economic Alliance after the mayor initiated a conversation around how to better target funding given to the organization and about the entities’ relationship as economic development partners.